1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved female electrical contact, more particularly a contact suited for use in high-density contact arrays.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical prior art female electrical contacts have beam-like sections or arms that are deflected when the male contact member is inserted. FIG. 1 shows such a typical female contact. Deflection of the contact arms 10 generates a bending stress in the arms, and the reaction to this bending stress is a force "F" normal to the connector axis 12 that urges the arms against the inserted male contact member 14, making the electrical connection. As illustrated, the bending stress, and hence the normal force in such prior art female contacts, varies as a function of the lateral displacement of the arms from an unstressed position. While generally satisfactory, a change in dimensions in either the male or female member from its nominal value causes a change in stress and in normal force. On the scale of subminiature contacts, changes from a nominal value in male or female contact dimensions, or geometry, or in the position of a given contact in an array of many contacts, even changes within allowable manufacturing tolerances, can cause significant changes in stress and normal contact force "F".
Prior art female contacts are therefore not uniformly stressed, experience high local stresses, and may not in all cases provide sufficient contact force.